The WA State Government is planning several prescribed burns in rare and endemic Tingle Forest of the Walpole-Nornalup National Park this year. With a budget of $53million/yr the State targets the annual burning of 200,000ha (280,112 football pitches), based on the policy "To maintain a fuel age of less than six years since last burnt in at least 45 percent of the landscape” in SW forests. 

Do you think it moral to intentionally cause harm and death to a countless number of mammals, amphibians, lizards, birds, insects, plant species, entire ecosystems to purportedly help reduce fire risk? 

 

 

Maps from the 2024 DBCA Burn Options Program show proposed prescribed burns: FRK 073, FRK 074 and FRK 099 in National Park. 

Of particular concern is the area known as FRK 099 on on the West side of the Frankland River in Nornalup, on the approach to Douglas Hill. It is in one of the few remaining pristine Tingle forest riparian zones on the planet, an area of high rainfall and low altitude that would historically have very rarely burned either from natural causes or by its Noongar custodians.

 

 

A sanctuary for vulnerable Quokkas, Phascogales, Ring-tail Possums and many more. 

Video and photographic evidence obtained by members of the community has enabled the positive identification of numerous protected species and many others in the area of the proposed burn (how cute is the quokka at the end?). The forest will no longer provide refuge for these marsupials.

 

The biodiversity, health and existence of Earth’s natural environments are already in a tragic state due to mankind's self interested immoral actions. Prescribed burning in ecologically sensitive and pristine areas epitomises this. It is immoral because the loss of natural environment and ecosystems causes harm to us all, and future generations. The burn will produce unsightly growth in colonising species and detract from the beauty of the area.

 

 

This stretch of the Frankland river is very popular with locals and visitors for its majestic beauty.

What will this burn do to the landscape?

The bulk of this area has not seen fire for many decades, and presents low and declining flammability and fire risk. 

Burning these areas will promote thick, tall understorey increasing the risk of fire in future. Research by fire scientists recognises that fire risk reaches a peak after about 30 years and then declines. The height and density of understorey is the most important factor determining the spread of fire. Old forests that have not been burned for a long time have very little understorey, high moisture and low flammability. Prescribed burning promotes tall, dense understorey, which increases the risk of future wildfires. 

The evidence is clear – prescribed burning in old, long unburned karri and tingle forest increases fire risk.

 

 

How forest flammability and fire risk changes with time since prescribed burning in tingle forest. Forests where fire has been excluded for a long time are the least flammable (Zylstra et al. 2023). 

The Department of Biodiversity Conservation and Attractions (DBCA), who carry out the burn, acknowledge there is always a risk of the prescribed burn escaping, which in this case would be further up Douglas Hill, and/or across the river to Nornalup village, both with potentially catastrophic consequences. In notifications sent out property owners in the area the DBCA has advised "to ensure that your insurance cover is current and will provide you with adequate coverage in order to protect against property losses".

The WA State Government need to know that they do NOT have support for these burns.

The funding should instead go towards developing rapid suppression technology and techniques.

The DBCA Frankland District Fire Manager indicated that FRK 099 would likely be ignited in Autumn 2024. We need to act now and act fast. Please sign this petition today to say NO to these prescribed burns. The existence of our already vulnerable and endangered wildlife depends on it.